Where could me and the cats live for 6 months?

[Flimmy]

I'm likely to have 6 months or so between my sale and purchase and will need to move into temporary accommodation. I'm on my own.

I'll have sufficient funds to move into okay accommodation but there's very few options to take my cats. Both rescues and would be traumatised in a cattery. Have no one who could have them for a while.

Help me think outside the box as to where me and the cats could live for 6 months.

Lie about the cats. The LL has to give you a days notice of an inspection. So if you get that just put them up at a friends for 24 hours.

By the time they start proceedings against you to evict you’d be on your way anyway

Caravan site?( in either a caravan/static or buy a camper can and then sell it on) Long hire on a narrowboat? We lived in a narrowboat with cats and dogs for 23 years - so it’s doable if a hirer will allow you to have them.

I meant camper van - although thinking about it they are can like..

Could you ask your local cats protection or rescues if they have any fosterers on their books who would offer a place as long as you provide food? Similar to the dogs version of the Cinnamons Trust?

oh sorry, I didn't see that you wanted to be housed too.

See if you can negotiate a good price on a air b&b? Some are more pet friendly than rent through a letting agent. Gumtree?

A lot of rentals specify no pets but I think in some cases it's a preference rather than an absolute no. Especially if they haven't had much interest.

I was told by a colleague recently that a LL can no longer refuse a tenancy because of pets. Right to enjoyment of 'family life' or something like that; no idea if said colleague was telling me the truth but must be worth Googling.

I’ve done this several times and encountered the same issue. What you actually need is just a normal rental property with a 6 month break clause, which is not an unusual request to make.

Re the cats, tell the estate agent (if true!) that you have older cats who are mostly asleep or outdoors so won’t damage the property, do they have a landlord who would consider renting to you? You may need to offer extra rent ie when they say no, say “If the landlord is worried about pet damage, would they consider asking for a higher deposit or a slightly increased rental price?”

Both times I did it I got a 6 month break clause tenancy that accepted cats, but I had to accept the property the estate agent was finding hardest to shift, and pay £100-200 extra per month for it. Both times, all the estate agents initially told me they didn’t have a suitable property. You have to be politely argumentative 😬

By the way an estate agent told me landlords are much more fussy in Spring/Summer when there’s lots of demand, but may accept an undesirable tenant over winter just to get someone in the building to have heating on for the pipes etc.

This ^

i had this problem, nobody would let me have my cat in rented, I had to move for my new job and live somewhere for 6 months while I sold my own house and bought the new one, so I had to rent a chalet on a holiday park for 6 months.

If you’re happy to put your furniture in storage and live in furnished accommodation you could try a holiday home. We’ve owned a holiday let for the last 15 years (pre Air bnb). We have often done longer lets at discounted rates and have allowed pets when asked.

If it’s going to be soon, some people will jump at the chance to have a confirmed let for 6 months over the winter months. You can do things like offer to pay it all upfront, assuming you have the funds.

Check out the rules regarding landlords and refusing pets. It’s fairly new I believe.

I think it’s always worth asking, especially if you preempt landlord question. One tenant who had exactly your situation, promised to keep all our sofas covered in blankets to stop scratching and paid to have a cat flap put in. Maybe some kind of extra insurance you could take out, or offer extra deposit.

Just ask, a lot of people say no pets because that’s what’s recommended by estate agencies etc. SpareRooms sometimes offer self contained accommodation.

depends on your area but around me I’d suggest farm type self catering accommodation, holiday parks, static caravan sites or as others have said a normal rental with a break clause. Keep
quiet about the cats if necessary- if they don’t cause damage and you pay the rent chances are no one would bat an eyelid.

Is there any rentals near you on farms.more and more of them are having to branch out and created accommodation in barns etc.or have pods or cabins onsite?

Just done a 6m Airbnb with pets and there is plenty

yes I agree with you.
Also a mobile home.

Definitely don't say your cats are elderly like PP suggested - I'm a LL and had older cats piss everywhere as they become old/confused.

So many options I hadn't considered, the obvious one being to lie about the existence of cats.

A pet friendly Air B&B - hadn't realised such things exist. Also holiday home or caravan park sound a lovely option - might need to move a little outside my usual area to find these though.

Unfortunately a camper van wouldn't be for me as would be scared to drive it.

And didn’t realise that winter might be a time when I might find renting easier.

Thanks all for taking the time to share your ideas.

We are renting whilst looking for somewhere. What I did was be very upfront in the first telephone call. I said we had cats but they were older, tame and trained and I would be willing to pay "pet rent".

Some landlords said no straight away. But a surprising number were okay with it. I paid £25 extra a month for two cats which I think is reasonable.

Also a number of landlords said 12 months but then there was a break clause at 6 so you could look into this.

It is a bit tricky but it can be done!

I would definitely lie about the cats, if the LL finds out just say you're looking after them for a friend or something